Elgin Killings Up, Other Crimes Down

Elgin officials on Friday released crime statistics showing a sharp drop in gang activity and overall reports of serious crime in 1999, despite a troubling increase in the number of homicides.

Police Chief William Miller said the data, which include decreases in reported sexual assaults, gang-related shootings and robberies, continue a positive overall trend.

In 1995 and 1996, there were about 4,200 reports of major crimes in Elgin. Since then, reports of major crime have steadily dropped, to about 2,900 incidents last year.

There was some bad news, notably a doubling in the number of homicides.

The city had six homicides in 1998, of which three were blamed by authorities on gangs.

In 1999, the count jumped to 12, including a triple homicide this summer and the fatal shooting of a man by police as he fatally stabbed his wife. Two others, including a 14-year-old boy shot in his alternative school, were killed on the same day in February.

Reported cases of forgery and credit-card fraud also were higher.

Miller said many of the gains reflect increased community policing efforts and more police in drug and gang units.

Last fall, the department also began staffing the city's junior high schools full time with officers, as it does at the city's high schools.

It also instituted a zero-tolerance effort that targets even the smallest crimes by encouraging officers to pull over vehicles at the slightest hint of illegal behavior.